Who can guess that this green skinned, rough textured fruit is a powerhouse of nutrients that can offer amazing health benefits? It’s no exaggeration when I say that avocado is considered a versatile health food by many nutrition experts. Don’t believe me? Well then, check this out!
The avocado, also known as the alligator pear due to its appearance, provides nearly 20 essential nutrients, including the much needed fiber for your digestive system.
It is rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (such as omega 3 fatty acids), vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B12 and folate) as well as potassium. To add to that, it is even free of sodium and cholesterol.
Having said that, in this article I share the health benefits of avocado and how you can incorporate it into your diet.
Benefits of the Avocado Fruit
Here are some of the avocado nutrition facts and the way this super fruit can benefit your health today.
1. Healthy heart
Avocado, with its mono-unsaturated fat content, especially, vitamin E and the master antioxidant glutathione, is a recognized heart health booster. This is one of the prime avocado health benefits.
Avocado also provides the daily recommended value of folate and vitamin B6. The natural folic acid from its high amount of folate helps regulate homocysteine, which when high, can wreak havoc on heart health.
There are studies which showed a lower incidence of heart diseases in people who ate a diet rich in folate compared to their peers. The phytosterol and beta-sitosterol were clinically proven to lower LDL and triglyceride blood levels while raising HDL. This makes avocado a super food that can fight heart disease.
2. Blood sugar
Avocado’s monounsaturated fats can prevent or reverse insulin resistance. The high soluble fiber of avocado slows digestion and prevents blood sugar spikes after you eat your meal.
3. Pregnancy
Folic acid promotes healthy cell, tissue development and is essential during periods of rapid cell division and growth, which usually happens during pregnancy and infancy. Including avocados in your diet, especially if you are pregnant or planning to conceive, can reduce the risk of birth defects in your baby.
4. Anti-inflammatory
Phytosterols, antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C and the amazing carotenoid diversity (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, neochrome, neoxanthin, etc.) present in avocados, are the key players in reducing inflammation which can lead to arthritis.
5. Cancer
According to numerous studies, the high oleic acid content and lutein present in avocados, reduces the risk of cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer. The power packed nutrients, carotenoids, vitamin E, lutein, glutathione, and oleic acid, present in this fruit makes it a super food for fighting cancer.
6. Vision
Another benefit of eating avocado is that it helps to improve your vision. Avocados have more of the carotenoid lutein than any other commonly consumed fruit.
Lutein protects against macular degeneration and cataract, two disabling age-related eye diseases. They also contain the related carotenoids zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, as well as tocopherol (vitamin E) which aid in eye health.
7. Weight loss
One of the most surprising benefits of avocado is that, it helps in weight loss. The fiber content in avocados, aids in a healthy digestive system and slows down the breakdown of carbohydrates which makes you feel full while oleic acid, the healthy monounsaturated fat, have been shown to render a higher feeling of satiety.
It is also rich in proteins, thereby further helping in weight loss. So, have avocados without any hesitation and watch the weight drop.
8. Anti-Ageing
Avocado fruit benefits also include its anti-ageing property. Avocados are one of the best anti-ageing foods that prevent wrinkles and skin aging.
The D-Manno-heptulose sugar that is found in avocados has been shown to improve the skin epidermis by boosting collagen formation. Avocados also contain specific amino acids and carotenoid antioxidants that reduce age spots, soothe inflammation and heal scars and burns.
Avocado benefits for skin cannot be stressed enough. Go ahead and include this fruit in your diet today to perverse your youthful skin.
These are some of the avocado nutritional benefits you need to be aware of. What a versatile fruit, the avocado! Don’t you agree?
But wait! Don’t miss out on the following important information regarding avocados in order to get the best out of the fruit.
Peel Your Avocado Correctly
The method you use to peel an avocado can make a huge difference in its benefits to your health. Research has shown that the greatest concentration of carotenoids in avocado occurs in the dark green flesh that lies just beneath the skin. Therefore, you don’t want to slice into that dark green portion more than necessary when you are peeling an avocado.
The best method is what the California Avocado Commission has called the “nick and peel” method. According to this method, you need to peel the avocado with your hands in the same way that you would peel a banana.
Now, let us finally have a quick glance at a few of the delicious ways in which you can include avocado in your diet.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas
- Use chopped avocados as a garnish for black bean soup.
- Mix chopped avocados, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and seasonings for a rich-tasting twist on traditional guacamole.
- Spread ripe avocados on bread as a healthy replacement for mayonnaise when making a sandwich.
- For an exceptional salad, combine sliced avocado with fennel, oranges and fresh mint.
So friends, that was all on this super food that is making nutritionists stand by avocado nutrition to supplement our daily diet. Aside from the benefits to health that this fruit offers when consumed, cosmetologists have stood by avocado benefits for hair and skin when applied externally.
I am sure after reading these awesome health benefits of avocado; you must be eagerly waiting to eat it. Go on and grab some fresh avocados from the market and enjoy it today!
Are you aware of any exciting and amazing avocado recipes? Do you know of any more
avocado juice benefits or avocado seed benefits that we have not shared today? Do share them with us in the comments below. Until then, good bye and good health!